How to Choose a Solar Installer: A Step-by-Step Guide for Homeowners

To choose a solar installer, start by checking that the company is licensed, insured and experienced, then get several detailed quotes and compare them on price per watt, equipment, warranties and contract terms. Avoid any company that pressures you to sign quickly, and read the full contract, including the financing, before you commit.

This guide walks through each step, using advice from the Department of Energy (DOE), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Key takeaways

• Confirm the installer has the licenses, insurance and bonding your state and city require. NABCEP certification is a strong plus.
• Get several quotes and compare them by price per watt, not monthly payment.
• Financed systems often cost more than cash: Berkeley Lab found a $1.2 per watt gap in 2024 median prices.
• Walk away from high-pressure sales, cash-only demands, and contracts you are not given time to review.
• The federal 25D tax credit is not allowed for home solar installations completed after December 31, 2025, so be wary of any pitch built around it.

Step 1: Check licenses, insurance and certification

Your first filter is whether a company is qualified to work on your home. The DOE recommends confirming that an installer is licensed, bonded and insured to install residential solar in your area. The FTC adds that you should check the company's record with your state and local consumer protection agencies and your contractor licensing board.

Look for certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). The DOE calls it "widely recognized as the gold standard" for renewable energy installers. Also ask whether the company uses subcontractors, and check their credentials too.

Step 2: Look at experience and reputation

The DOE suggests choosing installers with at least three years of experience and asking how many systems they have installed. To check reputation:

• Search the company name with words like "complaints" or "reviews," as the FTC suggests.
• Ask for references from past customers and call them.
• Ask friends and neighbors who have solar about their experience.

A company's financial health matters too, since you will rely on its workmanship warranty for years. Our guide on checking whether a solar company is financially stable explains what to look for, and our solar company reviews page gathers sourced facts on major installers.

Step 3: Get several detailed quotes

Prices for the same job can vary a lot, so the DOE recommends getting several quotes. Experienced installers usually visit your home before giving a final price. The FTC says each bid should include:

• System size and expected output
• The full cost of installation
• Warranty terms

Also ask whether your roof needs repairs first, who is responsible if a leak develops, and whether vent pipes need to be moved. The DOE suggests getting those items written into the proposal. Before you start, you can estimate the size you need with our solar panel calculator, linked at the end of this guide.

Step 4: Compare quotes the right way

The DOE recommends comparing quotes by cost per watt: divide the system price by its size in watts. That makes a 7 kW quote and a 9 kW quote comparable.

What to compare	Why it matters
Price per watt (cash price)	The cleanest way to compare cost across different system sizes
Estimated yearly production (kWh)	Shows what you actually get for the price
Panels, inverters and racking	Ask what equipment they use and why
Workmanship warranty	Covers installation errors and roof leaks
Financing terms	Fees in loans can raise the total cost a lot
Who handles permits and utility approval	Delays and missed steps can hold up your system

For context, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's 2025 data update found the median installed price for residential solar in 2024 was about $4.0 per watt before incentives. Cash purchases had a median of about $3.5 per watt, while loan-financed systems had a median of about $4.7 per watt. The lab says dealer fees rolled into the upfront price explain part of that gap.

Run any quote through our solar quote checker to see how it stacks up.

Step 5: Read the financing and contract closely

The CFPB reported in August 2024 that lenders often add markup fees that "often increase the loan cost by 30% or more above the cash price of a solar project," and that these fees are often left out of the stated APR. It also found loans built around the federal tax credit, with a large prepayment due by a set date. If the homeowner did not qualify for the credit, they faced much higher monthly payments.

That last point matters even more now. Under IRS guidance, the residential clean energy credit is not allowed for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, and a solar expenditure counts as made when installation is complete. Paying a deposit in 2025 does not help if the system was finished in 2026. If a salesperson builds your "net cost" around a 30% federal credit for a new home system, that pitch is out of date.

The FTC suggests checking these contract terms:

• Total cost, monthly payment, and whether payments can rise
• Extra fees and early termination charges
• Who handles and pays for maintenance, repairs and roof repairs
• Whether the contract guarantees a minimum level of power, and what happens if the system falls short
• Whether a lien will be placed on your home or system
• Whether you can cancel the financing, and the deadline

Red flags when choosing a solar installer

The FTC warns against companies that:

• Pressure you to decide quickly
• Tell you to sign without time to review the contract
• Ask you to pay in cash
• Make promises in ads or sales talk that do not match the written contract

The CFPB also flagged claims that solar will cover loan costs and eliminate future energy bills, since real savings vary by location and season. Our guide on whether solar will eliminate your electric bill explains why.

Your right to cancel

If you sign at home with a door-to-door salesperson, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule generally gives you until midnight of the third business day after the sale to cancel for a full refund on covered sales (for sales at your home, those of $25 or more). Saturdays count as business days, but Sundays and federal holidays do not. Send your cancellation by certified mail and keep a copy. Some states have their own rules, so check with your state attorney general.

Common mistakes homeowners make

• Comparing monthly payments instead of total cost. A lower payment can hide a longer term or higher fees.
• Picking the lowest price without reading the warranty. A cheap quote with a short workmanship warranty can cost more later.
• Skipping the HOA check. The FTC suggests finding out early whether you need homeowners association approval.
• Ignoring how long you will stay. The FTC notes systems are designed to last at least 20 years, so think about how a sale could be affected, especially with a lease or loan.
• Not asking about subcontractors. The company you sign with may not be the crew on your roof.

Questions to ask when choosing a solar installer

1. Are you licensed, bonded and insured here? Are your installers NABCEP certified?
2. Will you use subcontractors, and for which parts of the job?
3. How long have you been in business, and how many systems have you installed?
4. What panels, inverters and racking will you use, and why?
5. What is your workmanship warranty, and does it cover roof leaks?
6. What is the cash price, and how much more is the financed price?
7. Who handles permits, inspection and utility approval?
8. Which state or local incentives do I qualify for, and how do they work?

Our full list of questions to ask a solar installer before signing goes further.

Next steps

Size your system with the solar panel calculator, shortlist installers from our solar company reviews, and test each quote with the solar quote checker before you sign anything.